The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called on the new Prime Minister Theresa May to allow a second runway to be built at Gatwick Airport.

Pledging his support: London Mayor Sadiq Khan at Gatwick Airport last week

Expaned: How Gatwick Airport would look with its two runways if approved

He visited the airport last Friday morning as it was announced that an extra £200 million is being spent on improvements at the airport.

While there, Mr Khan called for a final decision on airport expansion in the south east to be made a top priority by Mrs May and urged her to choose Gatwick rather than Heathrow for expansion.

He said: “Gatwick is the front door to London for millions of visitors to our city and I salute their decision to spend another £200 million on improvements to the airport.

Fantastic

“They have put together a formidable plan that is a fantastic display of their confidence in London.

“The new Prime Minister has a very important decision to make regarding new airport capacity, and I urge her to rule as swiftly as possible in favour of a second runway at Gatwick, which would
bring substantial economic benefits.”

The £200 million increase in investment will be spent “transforming, revitalising and improving” the existing airport – and will bring the total investment over the coming five years to £1.2
billion.

The total invested in improving the airport between 2009 and 2021 will be £2.5 billion.

Some of the projects identified for between 2016 and 2021 announced last Friday include:

Expansion of both the North Terminal and South Terminal departure lounges

Upgrading shopping facilities

Expansion of the North Terminal and South Terminal immigration halls

More aircraft parking stands

Since coming into private ownership in 2009, Gatwick has grown from welcoming 31 million passengers a year to the UK to 41 million.

‘As we enter a new era for Britain, we must. be agile and decisive as a country to show the world that we are open for business. “It is now clear that only Gatwick can deliver the runway Britain needs to boost international competitiveness and trading links at a time when it is most needed, and we can do that before 2025.

“This investment will also make sure that we can continue Gatwick’s record growth and transformation. “Our total investment since coming into private ownership now stands at £2.5 billion as we operate the world’s most efficient single runway airport.”

Kick-start your weekend with a spice-fuelled picnic with celebrated music ensemble Only Retro. Enjoy tangos, foxtrots and walzes as these professional dancers, singers and musicians bring the flavour of a Russian Lithuanian café from the 1930s to Worth Park, all accompanied by a live band. We’ll even be able to have a go ourselves – can’t wait! Saturday 30th 12pm with support from the Boulevard Singers from 11.30am.

Also next week we have our first Worth Park Wednesday, when there will be even more fun at the park for families wanting to enjoy themselves.

There will be a new craft activity every week in the summer holidays along with trails, games and quizzes and there will also be an opportunity to explore our new museum.

On Thursday we have the first meeting of our Costume Project. And don’t forget Gardening Club on Wednesday! It’s going to be a busy week!

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan restated his support for a second runway at Gatwick during a visit to the airport on Friday (July 15). He called on the new Prime Minister to support a decision in favour of Gatwick against the recommendation from the Airports Commission last year, which backed a third runway at Heathrow.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, during his visit to Gatwick

During his visit Mr Khan also welcomed an extra zoom investment by the owners of Gatwick to transform revitalise the existing airport, which will bring the total investment over a five-year period to £1.2bn.

While proposals for a second runway at Gatwick has received some support, its expansion has been opposed by a number of West Sussex MPs, borough and county councils, and campaigners due to concerns about the impact on residents and the region’s infrastructure.

Mr Khan, who was elected in May, said: “Gatwick is the front door to London for millions of visitors to our city and I salute their decision to spend another £200m on improvements to the airport.

They have put together a formidable plan that is a fantastic display of their confidence in London. ‘The new Prime Minister has a very important decision to make regarding new airport capacity, and I urge her to rule as swiftly as possible in favour of a second runway at Gatwick, which would bring substantial economic benefits.”

Stewart Wingate, chief operating officer at Gatwick, added: “As Gatwick rapidly approaches full capacity, this increased investment paves the way for our second runway project. As we enter a new era for Britain, we must be agile and decisive as a country to show the world that we are open for business.

“It is now clear that only Gatwick can deliver the runway Britain needs to boost international competitiveness and trading links at a time when it is most needed and we can do that before 2025.

“This investment will also make sure that we can continue Gatwick’s record growth and transformation. Our total investment since coming into private ownership now stands at £2.5 billion as we operate the World’s most efficient single runway airport.”

The new capital investment programme at Gatwick for 2016-2021 announced today includes expansion of both the North Terminal and South Terminal departure lounges, upgraded shopping facilities, expansion of the North Terminal and South Terminal immigration halls, and extra aircraft parking stands and optimisation of the taxiway.

Gatwick has already completed work to transform Pier 1 in the South Terminal, including state of the art baggage system and early bag store, while the ongoing North Terminal development programme has resulted in the worlds largest self-service bag drop and check-in area being opened this year.

Campaigners against Gatwick expansion united to hold a rally at the ancestral farm of one of Henry VIII’s wives to highlight the devastation they say airport expansion would wreak on British heritage in the South East.

The campaign groups unveiled a new document at the rally outlining ‘the irreversible impact Gatwick expansion will have on British heritage, local history and the environment’.

The groups said Gatwick’s own submission to the Airports Commission detailed 17 listed buildings all heading for the chop – some of Britain’s finest examples of medieval architecture – and the last remnant of the ancient village of Lowfield Heath which was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1068.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC), said: “Gatwick seek to wallpaper over the sheer level of destruction it would cause to our British heritage. This is a major stand against Gatwick on one of the historical sites that its proposal would destroy. It would be far more damaging than HS2.”

The conservation and campaign groups met at Grade II – listed Rowley House, one of the buildings identified in runway design documents for ‘complete removal’ or demolition. The 16th century farmhouse in Brighton Road at Crawley was once owned by the Culpeper family a member of whom was Joyce Culpeper. Her daughter Catherine Howard – Henry VIII’s fifth wife – was beheaded in 1542.

Henry Smith MP for Crawley said at the meeting: “Gatwick Airport is an important economic contributor but we must also have respect for our local environment and heritage. “I believe we can see a successful airport in harmony with the importance of maintaining countryside strategic gaps for the wider community good.

“For both economic and area environmental reasons I am convinced that Gatwick should not see runway expansion.”

Brenda Smith, West Sussex county councillor for the area, said: ‘Not only does the Gatwick runway involve demolishing 17 ancient buildings but the boundary of the airport would come to within a hundred yards of Crawley, a town with 110,000 inhabitants.

All the problems of noise and health which apply at Heathrow would be equally bad at Crawley. Our infrastructure is already almost at a standstill; we have the highest level of asthma in children. A second runway would be intolerable.”

The groups said that in the midst of a housing crisis which is crippling communities across the UK, Gatwickb proposals to double the size of the airport would put impossible demands on the local housing stock. West Sussex County Council’s consultants estimated that an additional 40,000 new houses would be needed to house the workers filling new posts at an expanded Gatwick, representing the biggest risk to local countryside.

Sally Pavey, chair of CAGNE and trustee of CPRE Sussex said: “The Conservative Party leadership candidates need to make’it clear: they won’t betray the Home Counties, destroy our livelihoods and be responsible for the biggest destruction of British heritage since the Blitz. “Expansion at Gatwick wont just be a temporary disruption, it would see the irreversible destruction of Britain’s heritage and the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

The candidates have a duty to stand up to Gatwick and protect the lifestyle and culture for our future generations of years to come.” The groups taking part were CPRE Surrey, CPRE Sussex, CPRE Kent, the Woodland Trust, the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, and Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today visited Gatwick to hail the airport’s decision to boost its investment in the airport by an additional £200 million.

Sadiq Khan also underlined his support for the construction of a second runway at the airport. He called on the new Prime Minister, Theresa May, to support the capital’s economy by making a final decision on airport expansion in the South East a top priority, and he urged that decision to be in favour of Gatwick.

Gatwick Airport has for the first time been recognised in the Sunday Times prestigious Top Track 100 as one of Britain’s largest private companies. After a record 12 months of growth, Gatwick debuted at number 86 in the Top Track 100 which ranks Britain’s biggest companies with sales over £700m.

Gatwick Airport once again teamed up with the Gatwick Diamond Initiative this week as joint sponsor of the annual Gatwick Diamond Meet the Buyers event, connecting large national buying organisations to local SMEs in the Gatwick Diamond area. Now in its 15th year, the event has a proven track record of generating significant new business for local companies. In the past six years it has been attended by almost 1500 local businesses with more than £22.5 million of business predicted to have been won as a result.

This week we have also reported our busiest-ever June with long haul routes rocket 24% year on year. We are seeing strong growth right across the board, in across the UK which grew 7.4% as a whole with Belfast routes +103%, Newquay +34% and Inverness +13% year on year. Stewart Wingate said: “ June’s passenger figures are the latest part of Gatwick’s ongoing long-haul success story demonstrating once again the unrivalled potential that an expanded Gatwick would deliver for Britain.”

A decision on expanding either Gatwick or Heathrow will not be made before at least October.

Last July the Airports Commission recommended a third runway be built at Heathrow Airport, but the Government has delayed endorsing this.

Drew Hendry, the SNP’s transport spokesman, asked in the House of Commons last week, said: “Can we finally get a decision on airport expansion in the South East or yet again are we going to see more and more fudge over this subject?”

Gatwick Airport

Transport Secretary Patrick Mcloughlin said he had hoped to take a decision on airport capacity this summer but could not foresee any announcement ‘before October’.

He added: “We aim to publish further analysis on air quality soon. Separately promoters have announced undertakings which will increase the compensation for residents living near the airports and the connectivity between other UK airports.

The Government is fully committed to delivering this important infrastructure project.” Mr Mcloughlin continued: “I would have liked to have been in the position of asking the House to make a decision and endorsing a decision, we are not going to be in that position, we have to be realistic. I hope to see a decision by the end of the year.”

Summer is here and it’s Victorian Picnic time again! This year the event will be on Sunday 17th July from 11.00am – 3.30pm. Last year about 2000 people brought along their hampers to this lovely community event and enjoyed lunch stretched out on the grass with families, friends and neighbours. This year promises to be even better.

Join Alice at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, give mini-cricket and croquet a go, follow our wildlife and story trails, hum along to Victorian favourites from our concert band, discover history hands-on with our archaeology and Victorian costume activities, enjoy our choir and country dancers, get creative with our Victorian craft activities and reach for the sky in a swing boat. By popular demand, the Crawley Beavers will be returning with their excellent homemade cream teas!

All of the activities are free apart from a small charge for the cream teas and swingboats. No charge on the swing boats for anyone in a Victorian outfit!

Please get back to me if you would like any further information – my contact details are below. We always need volunteers so please also get in touch if you are interested in helping with the event.

British Airways has threatened to reduce its lights at Gatwick if the airport is given permission to expand.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, which owns British Airways, warned that the cost of building a second runway would result in charges that are too high.

He said: “We struggle to see any business case for the expansion of Gatwick and will consider our position at the airport if the Government backs expansion there, principally because the cost of that expansion when translated into airport charges would likely wipe out the profit we make.”

An Artist’s drawing of the proposed Gatwick second runway

The Government has said it is still considering giving the go ahead for the £9.3 billion project at Gatwick or to expand Heathrow.

The west London hub wants to build a third runway. In a speech at travel organisation Abta’s annual Westminster conference, Mr Walsh insisted that any decision to expand Heathrow “must carefully examine both options”.

In July last year the Airport Commission recommended that a third runway at Heathrow should be built.

However, in December the Department for Transport announced that the decision on which project to support would be delayed until further work on noise, pollution and compensation is carried out.

The Crawley News understands that a decision on whether to allow Gatwick Airport to build a second runway, which was due to be made this summer, is likely to be delayed again due to the result of the EU referendum.

Just a Pipe Dream? An Artists impression of what a second runway at Gatwick would look like

Gatwick has been vying with Heathrow to build an additional runway. It was recommended, in July last year by the Sir Howard Davies Commission, that Heathrow should be allowed to build a third runway, rather than Gatwick being allowed to build a second.

But delays since then had raised hopes from those supporting Gatwick’s expansion that the Government could ignore this recommendation.

A decision had initially been expected by the end of 2015 but was then pushed back to this summer.

However the EU vote and David Cameron’s subsequent resignation mean that decision is expected to be pushed back again.

Jeremy Taylor, chief executive of ‘Gatwick Diamond Business, said the prospect of a further delay would be “disconcerting”.

On Monday last week Mr Taylor was one of 36 business leaders from the South East who took a letter to Downing Street calling for Gatwick to be given the green light to expand.

He said: “It is going to be interesting to see the economic impact [of leaving the EU].

“In business we like a plan. instability and no plan [on Gatwick] is obviously disconcerting.

“I think that the bigger picture is that this decision [to leave the EU] jeopardises all infrastructure throughout the country one of which is an increase in runway growth and
capacity.

The Prime Minister has made the decision to stand down, so any decision that was going to be made [this summer] will likely be pushed back.”